Smoke sentry for fireplace



July 12, 1966 s. E. MASON 3,260,257

SMOKE SENTRY FOR FIREPLACE Filed June 25, 1964 IN VEN TOR J/m/ey M0800 United States Patent 3,260,257 SMOKE SENTRY FOR FIREPLACE Stanley E. Mason, Cleveland, Tenn., assignor to Smoke Sentry, Ltd, Washington, D.C. Filed June 25, 1964, Ser. No. 378,010 Claims. (Cl. 126-138) This invention relates to fireplaces, and more particularly to a device that will prevent smoke from entering the room from the fireplace.

One objection many people have to fireplaces is that from time to time the smoke from the fire will come out into the room rather than go up the chimney. This not only causes physical discomfort, but smokes up the walls and ceiling of the room.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a device, which I call a smoke sentry for fireplaces, that will cause and direct the smoke up into the fireplace chimney when it starts to curl out around and under the edges of the fireplace and into the room.

Another object of this invention is to provide a smoke sentry for fireplaces that can readily be installed in any existing fireplace in a short time by even the most mechanically inexperienced person.

Another object of this invention is to provide a smoke sentry for fireplaces that does not detract from the normal beauty of the fireplace.

Another object of this invention is to provide a smoke sentry for fireplaces that is low in cost to manufacture, and is, therefore, a device that will retail at a most attractive price to anyone having a fireplace in his home.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a smoke sentry for fireplaces that keeps the air free of smoke, and is therefore a form of air clarifier that will assist in providing better health for all who come within a reasonable distance of any fireplace equipped with this invention.

Additional objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the upper .portion of a fireplace equipped with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of this invention taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of this invention taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective and exploded view of one end of this invention and its entire position locking mechanism.

Having reference now to the drawing, this invention of a smoke sentry for fireplaces has like parts indicated by like reference numbers for reasons of simplicity. The sentry consists of a U-shaped member 6 that is preferably made from sheet metal and embodies a vertically disposed side wall 7, a horizontally disposed top member 8, and a bottom member 9 that is in equal and spaced relation to the aforesaid top member 8. All three of the just mentioned details, 6, 7, and 8, have one end terminate in a right angle flange that extends only part of the way across the end, and is, for the side wall, indicated in the drawing by the reference number 10, while the top flange is indicated by the number 12.

Looking now at FIGURE 4 of the drawing, it will be seen that the outer longitudinal edge of the bottom member 9 of this invention terminates in a U-shaped flange 13 that provides a receptacle for the outer longitudinal edge 14 of the second U-shaped member 15, that is identical 3,260,257 Patented July 12, 1966 ICC in all respects to the aforesaid U-shaped member 6, into which it has one end slid in order to provide a complete assembly that is the smoke sentry that I have invented.

The horizontally disposed top 8 of this invention has the center portion longitudinally recessed into the U- shaped member 16 that is adapted to receive the, lower portion of the asbestos strip 17 that is a seal between the fireplace 18, in which this invention is installed, and the top of the invention itself.

Continuing to look at the drawing, it will be seen that this invention is provided with two substantially square end plates 19 and 20 that fit inward of, and up against, the aforesaid right angle flanges 10, 11, and 12, thereby providing a means of firmly holding the two major parts, that constitute this invention, together under the top horizontally disposed edge 21 of the fireplace 18, by means of a horizontally disposed tube 22 that has one end centrally located in a recessed opening 23 in the end plate 19 while the horizontally disposed threaded round bar 24 has one end centrally located on, and secured to, the end plate 20. FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawing clearly illustrate this construction where it is seen that the outer and free end 25 of the tube 22 is externally threaded and screwed into the reducing coupling 26, that has its small end 27 internally threaded to receive the outer and free end 28 of the aforesaid threaded round bar 24, thereby providing a means of tightening this invention in place merely by turning the knurled portion 29 of the aforesaid tube 22, thus forcing outward or drawing inward the end plates 19 and 20. It should be noted at this time that each end of the aforesaid asbestos strip 17 hangs over each end of this smoke sentry when it is installed in the fireplace 18, in order to provide an end-seal of the device, since the asbestos strip will naturally be compressed into a good tight seal that will prevent the smoke from curling around the ends of the smoke sentry into the room. One of the overhanging ends of the aforesaid asbestos strip 17 is shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawing and indicated by the reference number 30.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is herein provided a device accomplishing all the objects of this invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A smoke sentry for fireplace, comprising a pair of U-shaped members connected together to form one continuous member that is secured in the front opening of any fireplace, the said U-shaped members being adapted to deflect the smoke, that normally enters the room, up into the chimney of the said fireplace.

2. A smoke sentry for fireplace, comprising a pair of U-shaped members slidably connected together to form one continuous member that is secured in the front opening of any fireplace by a structure secured within the confines of the said U-shaped members, and the said U- shaped members being adapted to deflect the smoke, that normally enters the room, up into the chimney of the said fireplace.

3. A smoke sentry for fireplace, comprising a pair of U-shaped members slidably connected by having one end of one U-shaped member receiving one end of the other U-shaped member together to form one continuous member that is secured in the front opening of any fireplace by a structure secured within the confines of the said U- shaped members, and the said U-shaped members being adapted .to deflect the smoke, that normally enters the room, up into the chimney of the said fireplace.

4. A smoke sentry for fireplace, comprising a pair of U-shaped members slidably connected by having one end of one Ushaped member receiving one end of the other U-shaped member and the two U-shaped members being held together by having the outer lower longitudinal edge of one of the said U-shaped members slidably fitting into the longitudinal recess formed by the outer lower longitudinal edge of the other said U-shaped member terminating in a U-shaped member, and the two said U-shaped members being together to form one continuous member that is secured in the front opening of any fireplace by a structure secured within the confines of the said U-shaped members, and the said U-shaped members being adapted to deflect the smoke, that normally enters the room, up into the chimney of the said fireplace.

5. A smoke sentry for fireplace, comprising a pair of U-shaped members slidably connected by having one end of one U-shaped member receiving one end of the other U-shaped member and the two U-shaped members being held together by having the outer lower longitudinal edge of one of the said U-shaped members slidably fitting into the longitudinal recess formed by the outer lower longitudinal edge of the other said U-shaped member terminating in a U-s'haped member, and the two said U-shaped members being together to form one continuous member that is secured in the front opening of any fireplace by an end plate mounted on one end of a horizontally disposed tube that is located within the confines of the said smoke sentry, and the other end of the said tube being secured to a threaded coupling adapted to receive one end of a threaded round bar that has its other end secured to a second end plate, the said second end plate being located within the confines of the opposite end of the said smoke sentry, thereby providing a means of firmly holding the said smoke sentry in place when the said tube is so rotated as to force the two end plates apart and up against the sides of the said fireplace, and the said U-shaped members being adapted to deflect the smoke, that normally enters the room, up into the chimney of the said fireplace.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,275,236 4/1942 Shannon -21 X 3,077,923 2/1963 Hatcher 160-39 X FOREIGN PATENTS 782,830 9/1957 Great Britain.

FREDERICK KETTERER, Primary Examiner. 

5. A SMOKE SENTRY FOR FIREPLACE, COMPRISING A PAIR OF U-SHAPED MEMBERS SLIDABLY CONNECTED BY HAVING ONE END OF ONE U-SHAPED MEMEBR RECEIVING ONE END OF THE OTHER U-SHAPED MEMBER AND THE TWO U-SHAPED MEMEBRS BEING HELD TOGETHER BY HAVING THE OUTER LOWER LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF ONE OF THE SAID U-SHAPED MEMBERS SLIDABLY FITTING INTO THE LONGITUDINAL RECESS FORMED BY THE OUTER LOWER LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE OTHER SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER TERMINATING IN A U-SHAPED MEMBER, AND THE TWO SAID U-SHAPED MEMBERS BEING TOGETHER TO FORM ONE CONTINUOUS MEMBER THAT IS SECURED IN THE FRONT OPENING OF ANY FIREPLACE BY AN END PLATE MOUNTED ON ONE END OF A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED TUBE THAT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE SAID SMOKE SENTRY, AND THE OTHER END OF THE SAID TUBE BEING SECURED TO A THREADED COUPLING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ONE END OF A THREADED ROUND BAR THAT HAS ITS OTHER END SECURED TO A SECOND END PLATE, THE SAID SECOND END PLATE BEING LOCATED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE OPPOSITE END OF THE SAID SMOKE SENTRY, THEREBY PROVIDING A MEANS OF FIRMLY HOLDING THE SAID SMOKE SENTRY IN PLACE WHEN THE SAID TUBE IS SO ROTATED AS TO FORCE THE TWO END PLATES APART AND UP AGANIST THE SIDES OF THE SAID FIREPLACE, AND THE SAID U-SHAPED MEMBERS BEING ADAPTED TO DEFLECT THE SMOKE, THAT NORMALLY ENTERS THE ROOM, UP INTO THE CHIMNEY OF THE SAID FIREPLACE. 